Night Falls Gently
by Shade Sorcerer
Summary: The Hakurei Maiden is dying. These are her last few moments. Inspired by the song of the same name. One-shot.


Night Falls Gently

Inspired by 凋叶棕's (Diao ye Zong/RD-Sounds) song of the same name. (Not the electro-y one, because apparently the circle has two songs by that name. It's the one with the piano and the violin)

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><p>Yukari knocked gently on the door to Marisa's house.<br>"Yeah, I'll be right there, Alice." Marisa said.  
>"It's not Alice, Marisa. It's Yukari." Yukari said.<br>Upon hearing this, Marisa rushed to the door, dropping whatever it was she was working on. "What's wrong, Yukari?" Marisa said, eyes wide.  
>"It's Reimu, Marisa. She's dying." Yukari said somberly. Marisa stood there silently, too shocked to say anything. "You… would like to see her, right?" Yukari said.<br>"R-Reimu's WHAT!? Y-y-you gotta do something! Reimu can't die! Get Eirin, or something! Can't you manipulate life and death, or some shit? Do that! Save her!" Marisa shouted.  
>"I can't… Normal humans aren't meant to have the powers of gods. There hasn't been a Hakurei Maiden that's lived past thirty. Many… don't even make it there." Yukari said, shaking her head.<br>Marisa grabbed Yukari's shoulders and said "W-what about the Hourai Elixir? Doesn't that work on everything?"  
>Yukari's eyes turned hard. She smacked Marisa and said "Suggest something like that again and…" She sighed, and her expression softened. "There's no way to save her, Marisa. If there was, don't you think I would have done it by now? I don't want her to die any more than you do." Marisa backed away and looked down.<br>"So, she's really dying? This isn't some twisted joke of yours?" Marisa says.  
>"There are some lines even I wouldn't cross, Marisa." Yukari said.<br>"C-can… Can I see her?" Marisa said.  
>"Of course." Yukari said.<p>

* * *

><p>Suika was there, as was Aya. The little oni was crying openly, and the tengu was constantly wiping away tears.<br>"Is this… it? This is everybody who cares enough about her to visit her as she's dying?" Marisa says, her voice a mixture of sadness and anger.  
>"No. We're the only four that know. You're the only one that she invited personally." Aya told the witch.<br>A weak chuckle came from Reimu's bed. "You know me, Marisa. I never… never did like people much." Marisa rushed over to her and grabbed her hand.  
>"Reimu, come on. Stay with us. You can't just go dying on us like this. You…" Marisa choked on her words.<br>"It's okay, Marisa. I knew this was… was going to happen before I took the job." Reimu said.  
>"Why… Why the hell'd you do it then... If it's gonna kill you, then why the hell did you do it…? Why would you do this to your friends?" Marisa said.<br>"Remember Marisa? We wouldn't even be friends… if I hadn't. You, Yukari, Suika over there, and… even Aya, with her annoying paper. I wouldn't have met any of you… or anyone else… if not for this. That's why. I was just going to be… another nameless nobody in the village… but then, Yukari… … offered me the chance to do this." Reimu said, growing weaker. "Yukari? You have… the next… candidate picked out… right?" the shrine maiden said.  
>"Of course, Reimu. There's a little girl in the village, about the same age you were… She reminds me so much of you when you were that age. She's so…" Yukari's voice hitched, the only time the witch had ever heard her display anything other than her trademark cunning 'pleasantness'.<br>"So, she's got a lot to… learn, then… Marisa? Can I ask you this… one last favor?" Reimu said. Marisa nodded, too busy crying to actually get any words out. "Look after her... will you? The new girl… I trust you… more than anyone… with this… Make… sure she's… not… as lazy as… I was... " Reimu smiled slightly and gave a coughing laugh, before saying "Good luck… Gensokyo's… best… incident… resolver…" The shrine maiden closed her eyes for the last time, and her hand slipped out of Marisa's grasp. Aya could no longer contain her tears, and they fell onto her notepad, soaking it through. Suika curled up into a ball, and rocked back and forth, sobbing. Yukari began crying, and Marisa hugged the body of her best friend.

There was a soft knock at the door, and Komachi entered the room. She was tearing up as well, and said "Lady Shiki's going to get mad at me for this, but the least this girl deserves is a personal, immediate escort to the Ministry. I don't care what happens to me 'cuz of it, I ain't letting her sit on the banks of the Sanzu for who knows how long. She deserves better'n that."  
>"Th-thank you, Komachi. I knew you would come through." Yukari said.<br>"Yeah. C'mon Reimu. Let's go see Eiki." Komachi said to the spirit only she could see.  
>"Tell her… Tell that I'll come visiting in heaven soon. She'd better be there, alright?" Marisa said.<br>"Yeah. I'll put in a good word for her, so you can be sure she'll be up there. If she doesn't end up in heaven, I'll just quit right then and there. Well… see you later, everyone." Komachi said, turning away from the still living and wiping her eyes. She led the spirit out of the room, and the only noise that could be heard from within it was the crying of the four.


End file.
